Following on from pitting various Nintendo 3DS storage bags and cases against each other, a new challenger enters the ring. Waterfield Designs sent over one of its 3DS Travel Cases for me to check out, and I have to admit that I was looking forward to receiving it. Four years ago the company sent two of its Sony PlayStation Portable storage bags for me to review, and all this time later I'm still using them on a semi-regular basis. The PSP cases held up exceptionally through the years, so I have high hopes for the 3DS bag. That's a long-term evaluation though. How does the case stand up in the short-term?

The 3DS Travel Case is designed to keep the Nintendo 3DS and its accessories (including the power supply) all together and tangle-free in one place. Custom-sized, padded, interior compartments and self-locking zippers keep your gear safe and secure.

I have nothing bad to say about this case, really. It's sturdy yet lightweight, sports plenty of storage space for the 3DS itself, charging cable, power cord, AR cards, plenty of games, and whatever miscellaneous small items you may want to carry around. While it doesn't have small sized slots for each individual 3DS game like some of the previous cases I've seen recently, as long as you can keep track of the game cards tossed loosely into the pouch, you'll be fine. Don't make the mistake I made several years ago with the aforementioned Waterfield PSP case when I stashed a few DS game cards in the pouch with my PSP gear. I was on a flight to E3 when I accidentally dropped the case, causing all of the loose DS game cards to spill out. Yes, I had to squeeze myself down under the seat to scramble to pick up the games, fearful that I'd miss one or two. Of course, I wound up obsessively counting the games and matching them to my mental list of which titles I'd packed, and it wasn't until I returned home a week later and put all of the games back into their plastic cases that I was satisfied I'd retrieved them all. I can see a similar issue with this 3DS case happening if I'm not careful, so I know I'll keep a tight hold on this one when traveling.

Of the three 3DS cases that I've spent time with lately, this one is my favorite. It stores everything I'd need for my 3DS when traveling, is sufficiently padded, is an easy-to-pack size (10" x 7" x 1.5"), and I have a good history with the brand. It even comes in four colors if you feel the need to accessorize. It's not cheap, mind you ($49 for the case and $9 for the optional shoulder strap, the latter of which is sold separately), but if you're looking for great storage bang for your buck, then the Waterfield case is the way to go.

Comments

Following on from pitting various Nintendo 3DS storage bags and cases against each other, a new challenger enters the ring. Waterfield Designs sent over one of its 3DS Travel Cases for me to check out, and I have to admit that I was looking forward to receiving it. Four years ago the company sent two of its Sony PlayStation Portable storage bags for me to review, and all this time later I'm still using them on a semi-regular basis. The PSP cases held up exceptionally through the years, so I have high hopes for the 3DS bag. That's a long-term evaluation though. How does the case stand up in the short-term?